Teammates like center's leadership qualities

MANHATTAN — After walking on to the Kansas State football team two years ago out of Andale, nobody could have predicted how far Wildcat freshman B.J. Finney has come.

Following a redshirt year, Finney started at center in the K-State spring game and hasn’t looked back, emerging as a season-long starter on the offensive line while improving each week at an important position.

“Your center is kind of a command-performance guy in anybody’s offense, not just ours,” said coach Bill Snyder. “So he’s identifying defenses and making blocking calls like all centers, and he’s still got to remember the snap count and snap the ball accurately.

“What I appreciate about B.J. is he’s a very conscientious young guy. He works at it, learns well and pays attention.”

At 6-foot-4, 297 pounds, Finney is far from the largest Wildcat lineman. But his wrestling background matched with his work ethic earned him plenty of opportunities to see the field this season.

“He does everything that you ask him and for a freshman and has really stepped up into a leadership role,” Snyder said. “I think in time, he’ll be very special in that respect.”

“I know when I played as a freshman, I was a little intimidated,” he said. “But B.J. is a vocal leader and one of the hardest working guys on the team. He’s improved a lot since that first game.”

Tannahill said it was Finney’s toughness that earned the respect of his teammates.

“He’s not the biggest or strongest guy, but he’s one of the toughest guys on our team, and that’s a characteristic on our team that I’m proud of and appreciate,” he said. “The rest of the guys do too.”

This year’s offensive line, which saw plenty of new faces to start the season, has seen its share of injuries, but the group has still managed to meld into a cohesive unit after a disappointing opener against Eastern Kentucky.

“We’ve gotten closer every game,” Tannahill said. “Every week we’re getting more and more, working out our calls and everything to be on the same page. We’ve improved a lot since that first game.”

As for Finney, this week’s game against Kansas holds a special significance. He’s been following the Sunflower Showdown ever since he can remember watching football.

“We all want to come away knowing we have reign over the state,” Finney said. “So it just comes back to how we prepare and how hard we work through the week.”

Finney said he couldn’t imagine seeing the Governor’s Cup leave the Vanier Football Complex where it has been since 2009.

“It’s just one thing you get used to seeing,” he said. “It’d be kind of hard to imagine it not being in Manhattan, so we’ve got to work hard and prepare and keep it there.”